The Grand Duelist

"J-Joseph! He's being surrounded! Retreat! Don't face them for now!"

"Alice... Master is a Mythical Class player. I'm sure that it would be quite easy for him to defeat these punks."

"What are you saying? Joseph may be the Grand Duelist of the current generation, but I don't know. Something is telling me that he does not know what he's doing..."

"Now, you're just disrespecting master. You may be his mistress, but don't blame me if I get mad at what you are saying!"

Alice finally turned her head to look at Ezreal.

"How long have you been together with that master of yours?"

"Uh..." Ezreal was taken aback. But after seeing the slight smile on Alice's face that seemed to be mocking him. He mustered his courage and replied: "I've been together with the master for more or less a week!"

"Pfft! A week? Only a week? It seems like the two of you didn't spend that much time to the extent that he'd reveal his true nature to you!" Alice shook her head and was even clicking her tongue, emanating "tssk, tssk, tssk," sounds from her mouth as she said these words.

Ezreal revealed a puzzled look and finally frowned: "Are you saying that he's a fake person? Now that is something that I cannot accept."

"Master is an incomparably pure divine being..."

"How could he be fake? If you don't explain yourself then don't blame me for being rough even if you're the master's mistress!"

Ezreal's energy surged and his clothes flapped along with it. A stern look could be seen on his face as Alice covered her mouth and chuckled: "Yeah, judging from that reaction. It seems like you really don't know what kind of a person your master is."

"Explain yourself!"

Ezreal decided that he wouldn't listen to Alice's words anymore as he sternly declared.

"Fine, fine, fine... Don't be mad, all right? But let me tell you this! That master of yours isn't as pure as you think! He may look tough and brave at this moment but he's merely acting tough!"

"In other words, Joseph is a pretentious person!"

"That is what kind of a person he is!" Alice gestured to Joseph's direction.

Ezreal followed her line of sight and his eyes constricted when he saw that even though Joseph had a placid smile on his face. His back was actually drenched with sweat. Furthermore, Joseph's legs were slightly trembling with emotions that Ezreal couldn't analyze nor comprehend.

If Alice didn't purposely let him see such small details.

Ezreal would've thought that Joseph could really take on these bastards.

But now that Alice let him see such details.

He couldn't help but worry.

"I must help him!" Ezreal stood up.

"No, you stay back." Alice suddenly spoke.

Ezreal glared at her.

Alice chuckled and explained: "Just let him fight them."

"What is wrong with you? Can't you see that master is struggling?"

"I can see it just fine. But do you really think that we can give him any help?"

Alice suddenly stretched her hand out and sent a beam of Sword Qi towards Joseph's direction.

But before the Sword Qi could even fly for several feet away from Alice...

It suddenly disintegrated due to the intervention of some mysterious force.

"The Royal Edict!" Ezreal softly uttered.

"That's right!"

"With the Royal Edict in effect, there's no way that we can intervene in the ongoing battle."

"Damned it!" Ezreal sat down in frustration.

Alice turned to face him and smiled: "Now don't be so worried..."

"I'm confident that Joseph can pull this through."

"What makes you say that?" Ezreal replied.

Alice lightly chuckled: "Ezreal, did you already forget what you said earlier? Joseph is the Grand Duelist of the current generation. He can easily beat those punks." 

Ezreal frowned: "But didn't you told me that he doesn't have any plan on dealing against those bastards?"

"Huh?" It was Alice's time to be confused, "When did I say that he doesn't have any plan on defeating them all?"

"I just said that right now, he's struggling against those bastards due to their sheer numbers. But that doesn't mean that Joseph doesn't have any plan on fighting them..."

"The keyword here is struggling. As long as he can calm himself down and proceed on his plans. I'm sure that nothing will happen to him. Let's just stay here and watch." Alice smiled.

What she said made sense so Ezreal didn't argue with her anymore.

However, when Ezreal stared right into Alice's eyes. As a member of that particularly pure species that could see through the souls of anyone with just a single look. Ezreal saw that even though Alice was saying that Joseph could easily pull his plan through and defeat these guys.

She was still actually anxious.

But within her apprehension was an unwavering light of faith.

Yes, faith...

Faith to Joseph.

Faith to her man.

Faith that he wouldn't lose.

"Sigh..."

Ezreal let out a sigh, It seems like my faith towards master is not as firm as I thought. But I think, it's probably because I'm also trying to take advantage of him... I wonder, if master discovers what I am planning, will he hate me?

Will he despise me and take this blessing of a class that he granted onto me?

I don't know... 

I still don't know the answer to that question.

But one thing is for sure.

No matter what...

Even if he will hate me in the future.

I will do what I must.

I must take back what should've been mine.

But for now, no matter what will happen.

I will serve the master to my fullest.

I'll consider this as an atonement to the sins that I will definitely do against him in the future.

Forgive me, master...

I must do it.

There's no way out for me.

As someone born with this divine light. I have my own duty to uphold.

Forgive me, master...

Ezreal suddenly closed his eyes as he silently prayed to the Grand Duelist and to the Holy World Tree, Yggdrasil.

[Your affection with Ezreal has increased +10]

[Your affection with Ezreal has reached the maximum limits!]

[Certain privileges have been unlocked.]

[You may now propose marriage to Ezreal!]

[You may now become Ezreal's sworn brother!]

In the middle of the battle, Joseph suddenly coughed a mouthful of blood when he saw the system notifications appearing right in front of him.

What the fuck? Propose a marriage? To Ezreal?

Joseph's movements lagged and he was almost struck by an attack from all sides. He managed to evade, but since he noticed the attack too late. He was forced to use Emergency Escape instead.

[Emergency Escape]

When in danger...

The activation of Emergency Escape will let the user escape.

*The user must activate this skill before being inflicted with the grab effect. Precise timing is a must or else the skill will fail to activate and will go on cooldown.

Skill Usage Conditions: None.

Skill Cost: 80 Stamina.

Skill Cooldown Time: 120 Seconds.]

"Emergency Escape!"

A resonant voice rang out.

It came from Kristian and when his words echoed.

Their attacks against Joseph turned even more intense. But this was something that Joseph had expected.

The skill, Emergency Escape was something that everyone had in their arsenal regardless of their class.

After all, it's a skill given by default to everyone.

Its functions and usage were clear from its name alone. As soon as they heard what Kristian had said. They realized that they had finally pushed Joseph into a corner. At this moment, excited looks appeared on their faces as they thought.

It was finally time to reap what they had sowed!

"Biochemical Missile!"

The Gunners of both Guild Crimson and Guild Knights of Justice turned their guns towards the skies and blasted Biochemical Missiles into the air.

[Biochemical Missile]

A missile that creates an area of debuffs and disables upon its explosion.

Skill Usage Conditions: Gunner

Skill Cost: 833 MP

Skill Cooldown Time: 18 Seconds.]

Joseph raised his head and saw the Biochemical Missiles raining down onto him.

These Biochemical Missiles were actually quite dangerous, but only because of the debuffs that they could inflict upon a player.

But Joseph was a Mythical Class Player.

Surely, they know that he was immune to all sorts of disables and abnormal statuses, right?

Joseph wasn't so naive to believe that these players didn't know about that fact.

After all, it was a well-known fact that the Legendary Player Kristian, the Absolute Monarch was immune to disables and debuffs.

It would be strange if Joseph didn't have the same characteristic as him at least.

Joseph's mind madly spun as he dodged the attacks flying towards him.

Of course, he wasn't able to evade all of their attacks for there were just too many of them.

But according to Joseph's calculations. If he could continue his performance in this battle then he would be able to last for at least fifteen minutes.

Before that time was up, Joseph must annihilate these bastards...

"Overwhelming Presence!"

[The Grand Duelist's Overwhelming Presence]

Activate to enter a state of [ Indomitability ] 

* While in the state of [ Indomitability ] all of your basic attacks will turn into ranged attacks. The damage of your ranged basic attacks while in this state falls off at about fifteen meters. 

* Your ranged attacks can critically strike for 300% of your Attack Damage. 

* While in this state, you will become a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. Enemy soldiers will have drastically reduced morale when they are facing you, and allied soldiers will be empowered while they are around you. 

Skill Usage Conditions: The Grand Duelist

Skill Cost: None

Skill Cooldown Time: 3 hours.]

"Reveal Vitals!"

[The Grand Duelist's Reveal Vitals]

No weaknesses are hidden from your eyes. 

Reveals every weakness that the target has to the Grand Duelist. 

* Whenever a weakness is attacked, the target suffers 2.5% of their maximum Health as damage. The Grand Duelist's movement speed is also increased by 10% which stacks for up to three times. 

* The weaknesses revealed only lasts for a half a minute. But whenever a weakness is attacked, the duration of the skill is increased by a second. * 

Skill Usage Conditions: Grand Duelist.

Skill Cost: 200 Divinity Stat

Skill Cooldown Time: 10 minutes.]

The world within Joseph's eyes was suddenly deprived of color. But white circles that had the size of a small plate were plastered all over the bodies of his enemies.

Joseph raised his Rapier and sent a thrust towards an approaching enemy.

"What is he doing?" The player from Guild Crimson was astonished as to why Joseph was attacking him when he was still quite too far when suddenly... He heard a cracking sound, similar to the sound of glass being shattered as he coughed a mouthful of blood.

He flew backward in disbelief as a system notification floated in front of him.

[You suffered 25,831 damage!]

What the fuck? Twenty-five thousand Health Points worth of damage? Did he use a skill? 

No, I don't think so. He only pushed his weapon towards my direction and I was suddenly hit?

The player's eyes widened in realization and he hurriedly sent a message to his comrades.

But it was already too late.

Joseph was already wreaking havoc on the battlefield. He danced around and sent slashes after slashes and thrusts after thrusts towards enemies who were normally out of reach. The poisonous pools made by the explosion of Biochemical Missiles didn't do anything to stop him.

However, Kristian's goal wasn't really stopping Joseph.

It was to zone him out from moving.

After all, even though Joseph wouldn't suffer any disables if he passed through those poisonous pools.

It didn't mean that they wouldn't do any damage.

Of course, if Joseph dared to cross those pools.

He would still suffer some damage even if he wouldn't be stunned nor disabled.

Having achieved his goals, Kristian wore a smile on his face as he uttered, "Spatial Lock!"

The space around Joseph distorted.

[The surrounding space has been locked. Instantaneous movement has been disabled.]

Joseph glared at Kristian's direction but he didn't say anything.

Kristian stared right at Joseph for a moment with that smile on his face before he signaled to the other players.

When those players saw his signal, they all leaped towards Joseph's direction.

"Kill him!"

"He can't move now!"

"Take advantage of this opportunity! Kill him!"

The members of Guild Crimson was the first one to arrive in the air above Joseph.

But Joseph didn't just stand there and let himself be beaten to a pulp.

He took a stance and chanted, "The Grand Duelist's Graceful Swordsmanship, Second Form..."

Divine light covered his Rapier as he slashed at the players descending at him from the skies.

"Harmony!"

His Rapier sliced through every obstacle on its path and in just an instant, several players from Guild Crimson had died.

Vladimir was angered by what he had seen.

But he was angrier towards his subordinates who didn't think twice before jumping onto Joseph.

However, the fact that his subordinates died under Joseph's blade was something that he couldn't forget nor forgive.

He then rushed at Joseph as soon as the bodies of his comrades struck the ground.

But unexpectedly, Joseph smiled when he saw him as he loudly declared.

"Vladimir! So you're finally willing to abandon these bastards and join forces with me?"

Vladimir's movements came to a halt as everyone who heard Joseph's words looked as if they couldn't believe their ears.

Kristian and William paused what they were doing as well as they simultaneously stared at Vladimir.

Vladimir's pupils constricted as he realized what Joseph was trying to do here.

"Fuck..." He audibly cursed.

1. prevent on moving control movements limit movements.